CS301 Class #3 Spring 2002
February 7, 2002

How To Be a Great TA

Dan Garcia <ddgarcia@cs>
Christopher Hirsch <chirsch@uclink4>

Class outline

• Welcome (+ handouts)
• HowDidItGo(tm) (10) [D]
• Two great TAs teach great together (40)
  • Todd Segal <tsegal@cory.eecs.berkeley.edu>
  • Andy Begel <abegel@cs.berkeley.edu>
• Break
• "What are 5 key elements to being a great teacher?" activity [D]
• Heads Up! Video Reflection (10) [C]
  • Between February 18 and before the end of this course, we will video record one of your sections and go over it with you and...
    • Look for things that you do well
    • Look for things you can improve
    • Look for things you should stop doing
    • Give you feedback in areas you are interested
      • (e.g. student participation, pacing, sequencing, chalkboard use, handling student questions, summarizing discussion, interactions amongst students, group work, etc.)
  • As the person being filmed, you are expected to commit to the following
    • A 15 minute pre-section meeting the day before your section
    • The section time you want taped.
    • At least 30 minutest to go over the observer's comments the next day
    • A 2 hour block of time to go over the video tape within 3-4 days of that section.
  • You will need to form groups of three (today), such that you can all attend each other's sections within the same week
• Homework
  • Read "What Good Teachers Say About Teaching" essays
  • Read Excerpt from Prof. Karp's thoughts on teaching
  • Observe a different person's section and have someone observe your section
• Journal topic for next week:
  1. How do you prepare for section?
  2. How do you know when you're done preparing?